Since I've finally been able to get caught up on some current reading, I'll start this one out . . .

Batman #679 - This is some weird, wild stuff. I have no idea why Bat-Mite is around, and I have this feeling that "Zur-en-arrh" is going to turn out to be something else that I should have guessed and can't so . . . yeah. With the Tony Daniel art it looks fantastic, and is obviously building towards something substantial to coincide with Final Crisis. I like it.

Speaking of Final Crisis - Revelations #1 - Another great looking book that is building towards something substantial. The mystery of Libra deepens when the new Spectre can't mete out vengeance upon him. I was thinking maybe Pariah might be Libra but just read a cameo with him in Supergirl recently, which possibly rules that out, so I'm going to guess that he's actually the Psycho Pirate. He seems to have been a fave of Morrison going back to his Animal Man run, and I'm not aware of him showing up anywhere recently. Back to the book. Good set up and will be good to see how Crispus and Rene "team up" in their new roles and how Batwoman will fit into the mix down the road.

Secret Invasion #5 - As opposed to the artwork mentioned above, I really can't get with Lenil Yu's work over the past few years. I thought he was great when I first encountered his work on X-Men a few years back, but that might have just been his inker putting in yeoman's work, becuase his "sketchy" stuff here just looks rushed and unfinished. The whole rescue of Reed Richards seemed a bit too easy and too cutesy to me, but whatever. I'm already 5 issues into this and am unlikely to quit before reading the "end" (hoping there's some measure of resolution to things from *this* summer's Marvel "event").

Action #868 - Gary Frank's artwork with this book is growing on me. It still looks a little rough around the edges to me on occasion (Lenil-Yu "lite" if you will), but the Christopher Reeve likeness he's given to Superman is really starting to work for me. A little torn on the "everything you've known is a lie" approach to Brainiac, but leaning towards just going with the flow becuase everything else with this book is just going so great at the moment. What other mainstream book (except maybe the BND Spider-Man where they're overdosing on it) are you getting this type of story with bits of development for supporting characters interwoven in it? The Cat Grant stuff is great and just rings true to me as they "reintroduce" her with a modern twist and it all works within the framework of the story without feeling like it's getting in the way of getting things where they need to be. Highly recommended.

X-Men Origins: Jean Grey - Some nice fleshing out of Marvel Girl's backstory with some great painted artwork by Mike Mayhew. I'm not a fan of the painted stuff on a "regular" monthly book but for flashbacks or a limited series like Avengers/Invaders or Justice it's fine. Didn't remember Jean not being present for the X-Men's first battle with Magneto as depicted here, so I guess I should bust out the ol' Masterworks and give it a look-see.

The Walking Dead #51 - I knew I shouldn't have hit the Image message boards before I could get to my comic shop to read the thing for myself, but I was on the road last week and couldn't help myself of checking early reaction to the latest issue. Big mistake. A great issue and would have even read better had I not had the apparent "reveal" spoiled for me in advance. It says a lot about Kirkman's skill as a writer that I care about these characters this much to hurt for what they go through on an issue by issue basis. I grew up and remaina superhero comic fan, but this is the one book I have to read the day it comes out before I read anything else. I read #50 in the car on the way home from the shop I was so intent to see what happened. Highest recommendation.

Had quite a few others I'm behind in reading or just didn't have time to get to before the fam woke up Sunday morning (Booster Gold, Last Defenders, Fantastic 4, Green Arrow/Black Canary, Green Lantern Corps, Spider-Man, Trinity, and Wonder Woman - which was actually a very lite week for me).

Anyone else?

It is a good rule in life never to apologize. The right sort of people do not want apologies, and the wrong sort take a mean advantage of them. P. G. Wodehouse (1881 - 1975), The Man Upstairs (1914)

Psycho Pirate's a good theory. Sure, Black Adam gave him an EYEPOKE OF DEATH, but since when do deaths in comics ever stick? I'm still guessing it's a rogue Monitor, but Psycho Pirate would fit the bill just as well.

And now everything with Batman is starting to make sense, as Morrison's finally started to put some pieces together. Yes, I had to go back and re-read the old issues, but it's no longer a jumbled mess of ideas. I still stand by my statement that depending on where he goes, Morrison could shatter the Bat-mythos for good. It HAS to be a mind game, but if it's not, there's no letting THAT genie back in the bottle.

I've lost patience with Secret Invasion. I agree with the general consensus that the series has just finished Issue #5 and everyone's in the same exact place as they were in Issue #1. Pacing is one thing, but this is ridiculous. The upside? Reed's nifty ray gun essentially ends the insipid "Who can you trust?" game for good. But they'd better have a damn good explanation about Mockingbird (but likely, they don't).

Originally posted by DrewDewceSince I've finally been able to get caught up on some current reading, I'll start this one out . . .

Batman #679 - This is some weird, wild stuff. I have no idea why Bat-Mite is around, and I have this feeling that "Zur-en-arrh" is going to turn out to be something else that I should have guessed and can't so . . . yeah. With the Tony Daniel art it looks fantastic, and is obviously building towards something substantial to coincide with Final Crisis. I like it.

Secret Invasion #5 - As opposed to the artwork mentioned above, I really can't get with Lenil Yu's work over the past few years. I thought he was great when I first encountered his work on X-Men a few years back, but that might have just been his inker putting in yeoman's work, because his "sketchy" stuff here just looks rushed and unfinished. The whole rescue of Reed Richards seemed a bit too easy and too cutesy to me, but whatever. I'm already 5 issues into this and am unlikely to quit before reading the "end" (hoping there's some measure of resolution to things from *this* summer's Marvel "event").

Action #868 - Gary Frank's artwork with this book is growing on me. It still looks a little rough around the edges to me on occasion (Lenil-Yu "lite" if you will), but the Christopher Reeve likeness he's given to Superman is really starting to work for me. A little torn on the "everything you've known is a lie" approach to Brainiac, but leaning towards just going with the flow becuase everything else with this book is just going so great at the moment. What other mainstream book (except maybe the BND Spider-Man where they're overdosing on it) are you getting this type of story with bits of development for supporting characters interwoven in it? The Cat Grant stuff is great and just rings true to me as they "reintroduce" her with a modern twist and it all works within the framework of the story without feeling like it's getting in the way of getting things where they need to be. Highly recommended.

The Walking Dead #51 - I knew I shouldn't have hit the Image message boards before I could get to my comic shop to read the thing for myself, but I was on the road last week and couldn't help myself of checking early reaction to the latest issue. Big mistake. A great issue and would have even read better had I not had the apparent "reveal" spoiled for me in advance. It says a lot about Kirkman's skill as a writer that I care about these characters this much to hurt for what they go through on an issue by issue basis. I grew up and remaina superhero comic fan, but this is the one book I have to read the day it comes out before I read anything else. I read #50 in the car on the way home from the shop I was so intent to see what happened. Highest recommendation.

Anyone else?

Were you still driving while reading Walking Dead #50?? If so, you are a true fan and a menace to society. ; )

Batman just gets more and more bizarre, and I just can't get enough. I think when this thing is over, I will regret any criticism I gave RIP. Except for the so called "tie-ins" in Robin, Detective, etc. None of those have a damn thing to do with the main story, other than shoe horning in the names Jezebel, or Black Glove every now and then.

I am still liking the Avengers issues better than the main series of SI. It seems they would be a MUST for any collection of the mini series.

Action is still a solid read. I never thought I would see the day that I read 3 Superman titles, but here we are.

"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."